HP Mini 210 news

Tackling the Tablet Conundrum: Which One is Right For You?

By MaximumPC, published 21-11-2011

Do you even need a tablet? If so, which one? We review the current crop of tablet mainstays. We explain the hardware and OS features that matter the most. Follow along as we unravel what tablets are actually good for. When a consumer electronics category confuses the masses, it’s usually because the technology is hard to understand on a fundamental level. Have you ever tried to explain texture fill rates to your GPU-ignorant brother-in-law? Or RAID levels to your mom—who shouldn’t even be asking about RAID in the first place? Videocards and storage devices can confuse the lay consumer, but at least the prospective hardware buyer usually knows he or she needs a videocard or storage device in the first place. Your game won’t play at a high resolution? A new videocard is probably the...

Review: Huawei Blaze

By TechRadar, published 11-08-2011

Overview, design and feelThe Huawei Blaze is known by several names, with Huawei calling the smartphone the U8510 in some regions and the IDEOS X3 in others.In the UK, it's called Huawei Blaze, with the Chinese manufacturer managing to sell it unlocked and unsubsidised for an aggressive cost of £99. There are compromises to get it down to that low price, though. The screen is a modest 3.2 inches in size, plus there's no flash attached to the Huawei Blaze's 3.2MP camera. But on the positive side, there's a front-facing second camera for video chat support, and you get Android 2.3.4 as your operating system, with Huawei generously enabling users to deactivate its user interface tweaks and run the phone as a relatively untouched Google device if they prefer. For a budget phone, the hardware ...

Updated: Top laptops: the 20 best laptops in the world

By TechRadar, published 31-10-2011

Choosing the best laptop for youOur continually updated list of all the best laptops available today.Choosing which laptop is the best for you can be a tricky business, and the amount of choice can be overwhelming. There's no shortage of cheap laptops out there to choose from, but with new models being released and almost immediately replaced by manufacturers, the choice is no easy task. As well as reading through this feature, you can also check out our video buying guide below:brightcove : 1070855030001The lure of netbooks and the rise of the mini-laptop are also huge factors for those looking for a new notebook, but each has their downsides.That's why we've pored over our huge database of laptop reviews and picked out the best notebooks money can buy. We've picked out five of the best c...

Review: Dell XPS 14z

By TechRadar, published 24-10-2011

OverviewWe first checked out Dell's XPS 14z at IFA, a slightly dinkier version of its excellent XPS 15z laptop. The XPS 14z hits stores today and we've already spent a few days snuggling up and getting to know it.While a 14-inch version of a 15-inch laptop might seem a little pointless, we were impressed by how slim and light the XPS 14z turned out. With its 23mm build and 2kg weight, it more closely resembles a 13-inch portable. The XPS 15z wasn't exactly a chubster, but commuters will want to consider this laptop first.The slender body may seem less impressive compared to the upcoming slew of ultrabooks, including the ridiculously skinny Asus Zenbook which is just 9mm thick. However, we had no problem slipping the XPS 14z into our backpack and carrying it around all weekend.In terms of d...

Updated: Top laptops: the 20 best laptops in the world

By TechRadar, published 10-11-2011

Choosing the best laptop for youOur continually updated list of all the best laptops available today.Choosing which laptop is the best for you can be a tricky business, and the amount of choice can be overwhelming. There's no shortage of cheap laptops out there to choose from, but with new models being released and almost immediately replaced by manufacturers, the choice is no easy task. As well as reading through this feature, you can also check out our video buying guide below:brightcove : 1070855030001The lure of netbooks and the rise of the mini-laptop are also huge factors for those looking for a new notebook, but each has their downsides.That's why we've pored over our huge database of laptop reviews and picked out the best notebooks money can buy. We've picked out five of the best c...

Dead Island Dev Apologizes For Offensive Skill Name Left In Code

By GameInformer, published 09-08-2011

Last night on the Steam forums, a Dead Island player revealed that he'd discovered a shockingly offensive skill name when digging through the game's code. The ability, titled "FeministWh*rePurna" was discovered uncensored in the Data0.pak\Data\default_player_setup.scr file. It is believed to have been an early name for the Gender Wars skill, which gives female character Purna extra damage against male opponents. Techland international brand manager Blazej Krakowiak provided the following response to Eurogamer: "It obviously violates professional and ethical standards at Techland and should never have happened. We're investigating this right now and we'll issue a statement later. For now, I can only express my sincerest apologies for this incident and assur...

Dead Island sparks sexism flap

By GameSpot, published 09-08-2011

PC gamers unearth derogatory references in code of Techland's survival horror action game; developer apologizes, evaluating options for its removal. Techland's Dead Island has proven to be quite the controversial game, though for reasons that pertain not at all to its rabid, flesh-eating zombies. And while the first wave of anger over the game involved an intense CG-rendered teaser trailer depicting the gruesome death of a child, the second is rooted in a misogynistic inclusion in the game itself. Zombies have a legitimate claim to the title "man-eater." Last night, a Steam user claimed to have uncovered a line of code in the PC edition of Dead Island referring to an in-game skill for the female survivor Purna as "Feminist Whore." The line of code ca...

Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar

By TechRadar, published 27-08-2011

This week's hottest reviews on TechRadarThis week has been a bumper week for kit on TechRadar - it's hardly been a slow week for news, either.We've got the pocket 3D camcorder, the Sony Bloggie 3D, the Panasonic DMC-FZ48 with a super 24x lens. Also from Panasonic is the 65-inch Panasonic's TX-P65VT30.And then there's the updated Sony Xperia Mini - a diminutive Android handset, HTC Evo 3D plus much more besides.Sony Bloggie 3D reviewThe Sony Bloggie 3D MHS-FS3 certainly isn't cheap, but then this is a distinctly premium point-and-shoot video recorder. The obvious draw is simple, hassle-free 3D recording and playback, with an easy way to trim and upload the footage. But it's not just a one-trick, three-dimensional pony; there's a good range of 2D recording options too, including 1080p, so So...

Updated: Sony S1: what you need to know

By TechRadar, published 24-08-2011

It's taken Sony a while to join the tablet party, but anything from a firm famous for its pin-sharp displays and desirable PCs is going to be worth waiting for. And it's in the form of the S1 - or Sony Tablet S - that is Sony's main new tablet. From what we know so far, the new PlayStation-certified tablet and its sibling, the S2, are very desirable indeed - so what do we actually know, when can we get our hands on one and where do we go to pre-order? Let's find out. The Sony S1 is a traditional tabletWhile the Sony S2 is doing something very different, the Sony S1 tablet is in iPad territory: as you'll see from our photo-tastic Sony S1 update, the device is a typically rectangular ten-incher with a curved, tapered body.The Sony S1 features include DLNAThere's no HDMI port, but the Sony S1...

Everything You Need to Know to Buy Your First DSLR

By MaximumPC, published 22-08-2011

Tired of missing those action shots? Are blurry indoor photos getting you down? A DSLR might be just the cure for your point-and-shoot blues Phones with cameras are ubiquitous, and point-and-shoot cameras have become practically throwaway purchases. It’s the golden age of citizen photography, but as you become more serious about your images, pocketable cameras become more frustrating, and you run into the limits of physics. The tiny sensors and low-speed lenses in camera phones and point-and-shoots can’t do justice to fast-action or low-light photography. Sometimes when you need that really long shot of, say, a hawk soaring above the trees, the wide-angle lens common to compact cameras reduces the graceful lines of the regal bird to a tiny dot. Enter digital SLR (single-lens reflex) c...

Starhawk goes wild wild Warhawk

By GameSpot, published 24-07-2011

Comic-Con 2011: Lightbox discusses adding sci-fi Western single-player story to multiplayer-centric franchise for upcoming PS3 exclusive. Who was there: Lightbox Interactive creative director Lars DeVore was joined by writer Keen Wooten, as well as Sony Santa Monica studio director John Hight and senior producer Harvard Bonin. IGN's Greg Miller moderated the panel. Emmett Graves is the star of Starhawk. What they talked about: Rather than a sequel to 2007's online, multiplayer-only Warhawk, Lightbox is returning to the PlayStation 3 in a new direction with the markedly expanded Starhawk. Announced in May, Starhawk combines sci-fi and Western elements to tell a single-player story that augments the franchise's well-known online element. Taking to the ...

Shenmue, Virtua Fighter creator leaving post at Sega

By GameSpot, published 24-06-2011

Yu Suzuki confirms plans to vacate current position in September, will remain with publisher in advisory capacity. Legendary designer Yu Suzuki is continuing to loosen his ties to his employer of nearly three decades. According to a Gamasutra report, the creator of seminal series like Virtua Fighter and Shenmue plans to leave his current post at Sega. Yu Suzuki, future Sega advisor. "In 2008, I established YS NET, my current company," Suzuki told Gamasutra. "I'll be leaving my current job at Sega this September, and after that point, I'll remain on as an advisor." This won't be the first time Suzuki's role with Sega has diminished. In 2009, Suzuki "retired" from his position as a creative officer for R&D for the publisher, instead managing just th...

Best Case for Your PC Build: 8 New Chassis Tested & Rated

By MaximumPC, published 13-06-2011

When you're outfitting a new computer, it can be tempting to just buy the cheapest no-name case you can find, slap your new parts into it, and call it a day. While that might have been a valid choice in ye olde beige days—heck, early Dream Machine builds didn't even list the case—it's not one we'd recommend today. Enthusiast components today put out a lot of heat, and if that heat isn't dealt with, your rig's lifespan and performance will suffer.That doesn't mean you have to spend an arm and a leg on your chassis, though you certainly can. This month, we round up eight cases, from the budget to the extreme, to see how they measure up to the task of holding your precious modern components.How We Perform Thermal TestingTo ensure useful thermal test results, we have to use components that...

HTC Sensation vs Samsung Galaxy S2

By TechRadar, published 06-03-2011

We've been treated to a cornucopia of high quality mobile phones recently, but it's a certain two that have got the tongues wagging: the dual-core majesty of the HTC Sensation and the Samsung Galaxy S2.We've reviewed them both already, but so often we're asked the question of 'which should I buy?'So here's TechRadar's detailed and in-depth look at the differences between the two handsets - and if you still can't decide after reading through our guide, then we can only suggest you toss a coin in your local phone retailer.Build qualityThere's a marked difference between the HTC Sensation and Samsung Galaxy S2 when it comes to the design of the devices – which basically comes down to thickness and weight.The Sensation has a plastic and aluminium chassis combined with a relatively heavy glas...

Review: LG Optimus Black

By TechRadar, published 27-05-2011

Sitting alongside the LG Optimus 2X, the LG Optimus Black is a top-end smartphone, slipping in at just over £400, attempting to compete with the Samsung Galaxy S2 and Apple iPhone 4 for the smartphone crown, but with considerably fewer features and less processing power than its LG stablemate.First things first – the LG Optimus Black is light. Weighing a featherweight 109g, it even reaches a skinny 6mm side edge curvature, and 9.2mm thickness at its deepest point, besting the Apple iPhone 4 by a millimetre. Some may feel the lightness cheapens the feel of this handset somewhat, but our jeans pockets were thankful and it was nice to tote around something that didn't weigh us down.The slightly metallic back cover is smooth, and the phone's few soft keys are well-blended into the chassis, ...

L3p D3sk Case Mod: Not Your Average Computer Desk

By MaximumPC, published 21-05-2011

Remember the totally kick-ass, Light Cycle-inspired scratch PC mod by veteran modder Boddaker (aka Brian Carter) that was featured on our site recently? Called TRON Lightcycle PC, Boddaker’s entry for Cooler Master’s annual case mod competition (scratch build category) is currently the third most voted case mod in contention. As of now, the top spot belongs to the L3p D3sk by a 30-year-old Dutch guy named Peter. The rig is housed inside a desk, effectively making it an “all-in-one desk”, as Peter likes to call it. Completely made of aluminium and glass, the water-cooled L3p D3sk boasts the following specs: Intel Core i7 980X @ 4.5 Ghz Corsair Dominator GT 6GB DDR3-2000 CL7 (Elpida) @ 2000 7-7-7-20-1T ASUS Rampage III Extreme ASUS GTX580 SLI ASUS Xense + Sennheiser Xense High...

Review: Samsung Solid Immerse

By TechRadar, published 13-05-2011

We all know about Samsung and its phones, right? Samsung has just set the new high standard for a smartphone with its Galaxy S2 – an absolute stunner that garnered a much-coveted five stars from us. But the company does more than just set the standards in smartphones. It's had a rugged range for a while now. Anyone remember the Samsung Solid Extreme, or Samsung Bound, for example? The Solid Immerse is the latest in this established line. If you want a rugged Android smartphone then we recommend the Motorola Defy, but not everyone wants or needs smartphone fanciness. If candybar is more your thing, then Samsung has the pedigree. What you trade off, though, is specifications. Solid shell, yes. Mind-blowing specs, no. The Samsung Solid Immerse manages 3G but not HSDPA, has a 2-inch screen, ...

SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up, May 9th 2011

By SlashGear, published 05-09-2011

The biggest news this week is Google I/O, coming up tomorrow. We will be there live, so be sure to stay tuned for all the exciting announcements, and of course our analysis. In other news this morning, the Apple brand may be one of the most valuable in the world, even more than Google. And we know people love Apple products, but, let’s not fight about them, mmmkay? And we are continuing to follow the Sony PlayStation Network story, as Sony has just announced that it will be the end of May before they get up and running fully again. Plus, NVIDIA and Icera, news about the Nexux S 4G, yet another Android tablet, and one that’s a little different, and lots lots more. Exciting news from NVIDIA and Icera, and our own Ben Bajarin’s incomparable analysis of said news. The Nexu...

New HP notebook computers land for business users and consumers

By SlashGear, published 05-09-2011

HP has added several new notebooks to its line of consumer and business offerings today. Among the new machines are the HP ProBook 5330m and the EliteBook 2560p and 2570p, as well as the HP Mini 210. The 5330m is an ultraportable aimed at the business pro with a profile under an inch thick and a weight of 3.9 pounds. The machine has a 13.3-inch screen and a backlit keyboard as well. It can be had with Core i5 or i3 processors and has a fingerprint sensor and lots more. The 2560p is a 12.5-inch notebook and the 2760p is a 12.1-inch machine with a screen that converts to a tablet. The notebooks can be had with Core i7 or i5 processors, HDD or SSD options and more. The Mini 210 is a new netbook with a profile under an inch thick and offered in lots of colors. HP is also talking about the Pa...

HP Refreshes Envy 14, Releases Mini 210 and Pavilion dv4 Notebooks

By HotHardware, published 05-09-2011

We know you just purchased your last laptop, but already HP's giving you a reason to ponder an upgrade. The company's launching a major stash of new gear today, and we'll start with the new consumer machines. As part of a major notebook expansion, the gamer-centric HP Envy 14 is seeing an update. While the exterior is basically the same, the...

Samsung INFUSE 4G Unboxing and hands-on

By SlashGear, published 05-05-2011

We’ve known Samsung’s Infuse 4G was coming to AT&T since CES 2011 back in January, but the vast 4.5-inch Android smartphone still has the power to surprise in the hand. Fresh from its official debut in New York today, the Infuse 4G has the biggest Super AMOLED Plus screen we’ve seen to-date, but still manages to be the carrier’s thinnest handset. Read on for our first impressions. The display and the slimline chassis are the two most obvious elements, and indeed the Infuse 4G is a combination of several well-esteemed Samsung devices of recent weeks. Just as on the Galaxy S II and DROID Charge, the Super AMOLED Plus – with its 50-percent extra sub-pixels – is eye-searingly bright, color saturated and clear. It may not run at qHD resolution but its W...

Intel WiDi adds HDCP protected Blu-ray streaming

By SlashGear, published 05-05-2011

Intel’s WiDi technology is an interesting feature on some notebooks that allows the user to wirelessly shoot video from the computer over to another screen in range of the wireless transmission. WiDi stands for wireless display, and it supports 1080p video when used with machines that are running the new second-generation Core processors. Intel has announced that it has now updated WiDi to a later version, and the new version has some cool features that weren’t available before. The release notes for the new 2.1 update tells what the new added features are. Version 2.1 now has a unified 32-bit/64-bit installer using a single file. The new version will stream up to 1080p resolution video with hardware based H.264 encoding. The service now supports 802.11n PAN at 2.4GHz and 5GH...

Computing in 2100: Wearable Computers, Flying Cars - and Immortality?

By MaximumPC, published 05-04-2011

Imagine a world where peas grow as large as beets, where suburban commutes are completed in mere minutes and cost but a penny, where the letters C, X, and Q have been eliminated from the alphabet, where all wild animals have died, and where retail purchases (and even meals) are conveniently propelled to the consumer's home via a city-wide, nation-wide network of pneumatic tubes. A wacky vision of the future? Sure, but this wacky vision was postulated in the year 1900 for the year 2000. In other words, according to the article, published in the December 1900 edition of Ladies Home Journal, all of the above should already be a familiar part of our world. It is not, and for that we give thanks. For the very idea of beet-sized peas is enough to make anyone run screaming from the dinner table. ...

Buying Guide: Best netbook: top 14 in the world today

By TechRadar, published 05-04-2011

Our continually updated list of all the best netbooks available todayNetbooks are affordable. It's the reason we love them, and the reason that they took off in the first place. The cheap netbook isn't for everyone, but choose carefully and you'll get the best netbook on the market that will suit your needs.The big idea when getting your head around netbook computers is managing your expectations. If you're looking to write a novel, play games, or do a series stint of work, then you may be better off going for a full notebook or a desktop PC. While all these things are possible on a netbook, they're ideal for taking notes, editing work, watching movies, browsing the web and simply lasting a lengthy journey away from a plug socket. The battery life offered up by netbooks can be amazing, wit...

How To Build a Compact 3D-Enabled HTPC For Less Than $1000

By MaximumPC, published 05-02-2011

We set out to build a Sandy Bridge box that takes up little space in our entertainment center and fulfills all our streaming needs Back in the August 2010 issue of Maximum PC I built a 3D HTPC that I was pretty damned happy with, but the times have changed. The CableCard quad tuner that was featured prominently in that machine is no longer needed, as I have joined the ranks of the Cable Cutter Movement™. So without the need for a CableCard, I wondered if I could build a rig with all the same capabilities but make it much, much smaller. Ingredients Case/PSU Silverstone Lascala LC12 w/120W PSU $180 www.silverstonetek.com Mobo Zotac H67-ITX WiFi $160 www.zotacusa.com CPU Intel Core i3-2100T $130 www.intel.com Cooler Si...

HTC Wildfire S Review

By SlashGear, published 29-04-2011

Expectations around the HTC Wildfire S are, a little surprisingly, high. The third of HTC’s new Android devices from MWC 2011 in February, the entry-level smartphone replaces the Wildfire, a device which managed to carve itself quite the niche among pre-pay users and the budget or bulk conscious. Now the S-variant comes to further refine the lineage: we’re a long way from the Tattoo, but has HTC done enough to keep the Wildfire S relevant today? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut. Hardware As HTC found with the Tattoo, making a budget device is arguably far harder than making a new flagship. While the company could throw the latest kit at the HTC Sensation’s spec sheet and then attach a price to match, the Wildfire S has to be cheap enough to lure those c...

Samsung Galaxy S II Review

By SlashGear, published 26-04-2011

Samsung has a lot riding on the Galaxy S II. When your displays, chips and memory are found in the flagship devices of OEMs around the world, you have to expect consumers will demand more from the hardware that bears your brand. The Galaxy S II (aka Galaxy S 2 or GSII) has even more to live up to: the original Galaxy S spawned several carrier variants that helped it become the best-selling Android smartphone in the US last year, and positioned Samsung as one of the key names to beat in the segment. So, with dual-core – and freshly overclocked – processor at the ready and a huge, Super AMOLED Plus display providing some eye-catching glitz, the Galaxy S II wades into the crowded smartphone market. New Android king or pretender to the throne? Check out the full SlashGear review af...

Cooler Master Launches Storm Enforcer Gaming Case

By MaximumPC, published 15-04-2011

Need a new compact case that can accommodate high end GPUs, like the AMD Radeon HD 6990 and Nvidia GTX 590, but is small enough to tote around to LAN parties? If so, Cooler Master hopes you'll give its new Storm Enforcer gaming case a once over. Cooler Master describes the case as "a bold new LAN deployable addition to the Storm lineup." And according to CM, it's the first mid-tower to include native support for the above mentioned dual-GPU videocards. On the outside, the Storm Enforcer sports a rugged aesthetic that CM says is "reminiscent of a futuristic or even a biological armor." A nearly full-length side panel gives users a view of whatever hardware you pack inside. The Storm Enforcer supports two 200mm (one included) fans and two 120mm fan (one included). Removable dust filters on t...

HP Targets Professionals With New Z210 Workstations

By HotHardware, published 13-04-2011

In addition to new mobile workstations added today, HP expanded its Z Workstation family by adding the HP Z210 Workstation which comes in convertible mini-tower (CMT) or highly compact small form factor (SFF) options. The HP Z210 models are designed to provide workstation-class reliability for an affordable price. The HP Z210 SFF is 65% smaller...